1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of lumber sorters and is particularly directed toward the structure for detaching the cradles or letdown slings to facilitate unloading lumber from the cradles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Letdown apparatus for lumber sorter equipment is relatively new in the lumber art. Applicant's initial entry into lumber sorter letdown apparatus was disclosed in his U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,182, which pertained to a lumber cart having letdown cradles associated therewith. A significant improvement of the 3,578,182 patent was achieved by applicant and fully disclosed in his U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,379 which introduced letdown apparatus attached to or constituting an integral part of the lumber sorter per se.
Applicant is aware of letdown apparatus which incorporates manually operated hook structure for establishing free ends of the straps which support the lumber when unloading the lumber from the cradles.